Running Lights

the signal lights placed on a vessel in certain combinations during the hours of darkness to indicate position, direction of motion, type, and condition, and also the kind of work being performed. The main purpose of running lights is to prevent the collision of vessels and to indicate their maneuverability. Special lights have been specified for vessels engaged in towing, trawling, fishing, and dredging or underwater work, as well as for those that are out of control.

Running lights are distinguished by their color and location, the area of illumination relative to the vessel’s direction, and their intensity, which provides the visibility range specified by regulations. The arrangement in which running lights are carried on the high seas or in connected waters (in which oceangoing vessels can navigate) is established by international agreements, but on internal waterways and on warships it is set by national rules. Shipping registries monitor observance of the requirements for the ship’s lights of oceangoing transportation vessels (composition, height of installation, and intensity).